Staff Favorites from the Archives of American Art
Archives of American Art, Washington, D.C. Research CenterMay 20 - October 15, 2008
Ever wonder what unknown treasures exist in the Archives of American Art's collections?
This unique exhibition showcases a variety of collections and various types of materials, each chosen by Archives staff members, allowing the viewer to see the collection through the eyes of those who know it best.
Images from this Exhibition
Diego Rivera holding a Dog
“I am drawn to this picture because, although the situation has a decidedly comic nature, it does not show in Diego's face. In fact, he resembles to me—because of his size, posture, and hat—a composed, standing Buddha figure. We are left with an image of an individual who does not take himself too seriously, but is also not overt in his humor.”- Toby Reiter, Information Technology Specialist
Olive Rush and Corcoran School of Art class
“Taking my position at the Archives of American Art last year was easy—I was, and still am, very excited about the opportunity to work with the collections and staff here. Leaving my previous job at the Corcoran, though, was somewhat difficult. I had been there my entire adult life and I worried that I would miss my Corcoran friends and the collections there. However, this great photograph of Olive Rush and her class at the Corcoran School of Art reminds me of what treasures I work with here and the wonderful history of the Corcoran. Olive, her chums, and two early Corcoran staff members are pictured with a few 'dogs': the painting Lost Dogs on the right; the terrible painting on the left, titled The Helping Hand; and an actual dog in the lap of one of her classmates in the front row.” -Marisa Bourgoin, Richard Manoogian Chief of Reference Services
Artists' Equity Ball
“First and foremost I am attracted to this piece because it has been created with a sense of humor and makes fun of itself in a simple, intelligent way; self-deprecation is a precious commodity, since many artists and art institutions alike take themselves way too seriously. Reinhardt’s playful appropriation of image and text, brings me back to his art work and writings time and time again. I am fairly certain that if I had had the pleasure of having a conversation with him, he’d make me laugh until I cried.” -Suzanne Bybee, Administrative Officer
William Christopher's journal describing the civil rights marches in Alabama
“I picked this item because I was looking for something about the civil rights movement for another project and was surprised to find this. In March 1965, painter William Christopher (1924-1973) and his partner George Tooker, responded to Dr. Martin Luther King's appeal for support in the Selma-to-Montgomery, Alabama march for voting rights. On March 14, 1965, one week after “Bloody Sunday,” when peaceful black protesters in Selma, on their way to Montgomery, were beaten back by Alabama state troopers, Christopher, Tooker, and John Scotford, Jr., who taught with Christopher in the art department at Dartmouth College, arrived in Montgomery as official representatives of the all-white Dartmouth branch of the NAACP. Christopher's diary of his time in Alabama allows readers to experience a pivotal point in the American civil rights movement. He described what it was like to march in silence with Dr. King in Selma, on March 15, 1965:We line up three abreast. I am on the outside—next to the church—John in the middle—George on his right—SNCC [Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee] gives us instructions—silence—the streets are filled with people—the head of the line reaches the barricades—chin to chin—nuns to troopers—all is silent except low whispers—twelve Southern Presbyterian ministers behind us are saying, “Can you believe what we are doing”...—we look ahead to the barriers—and see the troopers with machine guns, the cars filled—we look back and see black men, white men and women children—as far back as we see and the line turns the corner—the troopers are there too—we look to the right through the houses, the troopers are there too—we are silent—the moment has come—we are not afraid—we have all the dignity we posses at hand—we have our life on the line—each of us feels this in each our own way—as we move I pray—I thank so many for this moment, I walk now for the spirit—I remember souls who have touched me, I pay for them...We near the barricades the entry into a hell that men have erected to honor their guilt—the closeness of bodies, the raised clubs—the revolvers, the machine guns pointed at us. The silence broken only be feet walking, the spits and quiet curses, the two-way radios, the cameras of the troopers clicking, the ABC, NBC, CBS cameras whirring—the intense glare of hate-filled whites standing back, the eyes—never have I seen such eyes, consumed with fear that hates, the mirrors of souls that have damned themselves. We walk slowly purposefully—with full dignity.”-Liza Kirwin, Curator of Manuscripts
Honoré Sharrer, New York, N.Y. letter to Honoré Sachs
“It is rare that one item from a collection of over 16 million has so many wonderful references. That is why this item is one of my favorites. Not only is it beautifully illustrated, but the illustration itself relates directly to the painting to which the artist refers in the letter. In this letter to her grandmother, Sharrer relates her frustration with the painstaking process of creating Tribute to the American Working People [1947-1951], arguably Sharrer’s most famous work. This is invaluable material for anyone studying Sharrer, her work, or Realist painting in general. The illustration, too, relates to the painting indirectly. It showcases the beautiful colors and textures of farm goods for sale—both jarred and fresh—which were also featured in Farm Security Administrations photographs. From other documents and photographs in Sharrer’s papers, we know she was looking to these photographs for inspiration and source material. Overall, the letter is a perfect combination of lively correspondence, important scholarly information, and beautiful illustration—a rare and important combination.” -Laura MacCarthy, Archives Specialist, Acquisitions
Robert G. McIntyre, New York, N.Y. letter to J. Kwiat, Minneapolis, Minn.
“This letter from Robert G. McIntyre to Kwiat, in response to a request for information on the lives and works of The Eight, is a favorite of mine because it is written in McIntyre's engaging style, is rich in detail, and provides a firsthand account of his memories of these men whom he knew ‘intimately.’ You can just tell by the way it is written that McIntyre enjoyed writing it and recalling this period in his life and his relationship with these men. The entire letter makes for an entertaining read, and contains many amusing and insightful observations, such as the paragraph in which McIntyre describes ‘the roustabout Luks who could drink any professional drunk under a roomful of tables’ and, by comparison, William Glackens, ‘a gentle soul who also loved life but in its brighter side, without its tragedy, and sordidness.’” -Stephanie Ashley, Processing Archivist
The Legend of Instant Postum
“When I first saw this poem, it was the title that grabbed my attention. I have always been fascinated with American goods production. I love all the products and brands mentioned here, especially those that have gone the way of Postum. I think this piece from the early 20th century shows that America is a nation that loves its brand name products.” -Karen Zorn, Digital Imaging Technician
Peace, an Ellis Island Madonna
“The raw humanity captured in Lewis Hine’s work has always invoked an array of emotion in me. His work captures issues of global significance yet impacts the viewer on such a personal level.” -Susan Cary, Registrar
Alberto Giacometti and Rodin's Model, Carmen
“Marion Walton took this photograph of her classmate Alberto Giacometti while studying sculpture under Antoine Bourdelle at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Paris. Bourdelle had been an assistant and colleague of Rodin. I love that this casual snapshot captures not only two remarkable individuals, but an important transitional period in the history of sculpture.” -Jean Fitzgerald, Processing Archivist
Marcel Breuer, Mercedes Matter, Konrad Wachsmann, Alexander Calder and others
“This just reminds me of the kind of party I would have...I mean seriously, really look at Alexander Calder (far right).” -Wendy Hurlock Baker, Reference Services
Paul Cadmus, Weston, Conn. letter to Webster Aitken
“After reading Cadmus’s letters to the pianist Webster Aitken, I felt an immediate kinship in his attitudes toward music. As he asks Aitkin in one letter, ‘So are you breaking, or by this time have broken the back of Eliot’s [sic] sonata: How pleased I am; it implies a back and a bone to break. How rare! In these days when the anatomy of the worm is body enough for most composers.’ In this letter, written on the program for a recital by the French pianist Alfred Cortot, he describes a piece by Chopin: ‘This was a wild sketch but exciting. If he had been a young American debuting in New York, his carreer [sic] would have been ruined. Whole pages of approximate notes—but—it all sounded like music, which no critic would have noticed.’ In an age where airbrushing is the norm and recording technology can produce note–perfect recordings, I would still prefer Cortot’s soulful approximations to a cool perfection achieved at the cost of the music.” -Elizabeth Botten, Reference Services
Ink drawing of a bulldog head
“I came across this dog by accident while looking for something to put on the next cover of the Archives of American Art Journal. He reminded me of those famous advertising mascots of the last century, with a face that belongs on a tote bag or card. Star power!” -Darcy Tell, Editor, Archives of American Art Journal
Cartoon of President Theodore Roosevelt
“This drawing comes from the James David Preston illustrated autograph book, 1904-1924. Aside from the fact that the sketches in the book are by some of the most well-known cartoonists of the early 20th century, such as Clifford K. Berryman, Rube Goldberg, and Art Young, this album is also a really good example of interesting and unexpected provenance information. In documentation provided by his son, Edward, found in our collection file, James Preston compiled these sketches during his 35 years as Superintendent of the U.S. Senate Press Gallery in Washington. Some were added while he attended national political conventions where he managed the press arrangements. Edward Preston also became a collector of sketches when he accompanied his father to the Democratic National Convention at Madison Square Garden in New York City in 1924, and he included a few of these as well when he donated the album in 1963.” -Karen Weiss, Information Resources Manager
Walter Gropius's 80th birthday
“I like this photograph for a few reasons. I am a fan of Gropius and the Bauhaus, for one, and I love the colorful 1960’s outfits on the partygoers. Look at the one-man band, how he is holding the camera’s gaze—he seems to be pouting a little bit. Does he wish he were the one surrounded by women, waving a glass of champagne, instead of playing the accordion in an undignified hat? I also have fond feelings about this photograph because it was one of the Archives’ first images that I noticed had been blogged about. It made me realize how delighted people are when they find our collections online. Knowing that all kinds of people are discovering our website and using items from the Archives to spark conversations about art and design really inspires me in my job.” -Sara Snyder, Webmaster
Pollock family eating watermelon in Arizona
“I like this photograph because when I processed the Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner papers I enjoyed looking through all of the photographs. I thought this one was funny and unique.” -Erin Corley, Processing Archivist